Saltspring Island Mushroom Festival May 10, 2025 Details TBA - New event! Expected: Walks, identification, vendors
First Annual Salt Spring Island Mushroom Festival Saturday May 10th and Sunday May 11th, 2025 "As this is our first year ... it will probably remain fairly small." Mushroom walk and talk on a Nature Conservancy of Canada property, led by Andy McKinnon. Includes a mycoblitz, where we have permission to collect interesting fungi for microscopy and DNA sequencing. Probably Saturday early afternoon, TBA. Also, walks and talks with Vail Saturday Morning and all day on Sunday. Identification table set up and folks will be able to explore on their own if they prefer. Updates will be available at the facebook group page: Mushroom Enthusiasts of Salt Spring Island.
Eventbrite registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mushroom-walk-and-talk-foray-and-mycoblitz-tickets-1313236247969 "Please join Andy MacKinnon and Kem Luther (Authors of Mushrooms of British Columbia) and local expert Vail Paterson ... as we explore a unique and biodiverse protected property on Salt Spring Island. We will find, document and identify mushrooms as we go ... and have permission to collect anything of interest, for further study and DNA sequencing. Observations will be documented in INaturalist... so, downloading this app and being familiar with it ... will be an asset. The suggested cash donation for this event will $15-20 for adults ... and kids are encouraged to join at no cost. Rain or Shine"
UPDATE APRIL 21 2025 from Vail: "After giving the good folks of Salt Spring Island and our local group a week to sign up ... this Salt Spring event is now open to everyone. Spots are starting to fill https://www.eventbrite.com/.../mushroom-walk-and-talk... This is a great opportunity to learn with Andy, Kem and several other experts from Vancouver Island and the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society (SVIMS). We will also be documenting our finds in INaturalist ... and have permission to collect any mushrooms of interest for microscopy and DNA sequencing. If you are familiar with inaturalist... your involvement would be an asset. We are hoping to add fungi to the species of interest on this unique protected property. The location of the event will only be provided to those who sign up. There is a suggested donation, but no one will be turned away for financial reasons. You only need to register adults... but children are welcome. No pets please. More information is available at Mushroom Enthusiasts of Salt Spring Island and I'm happy to answer any questions through messenger or text (1-778-350-0289). We will also hold out 1st Annual Salt Spring Island Mushroom Festival ... on Sunday May 11th up on our property (575 Cranberry Road) ... where I will be leading Mushroom Walk and Talks and we'll have an identification table set up. Everyone is welcome (from 9:00am to 5:00pm) and there is no need to pre register. We hope you can attend these events. Best wishes to you and yours."
